


Knowing Eyes

by Lady_Sci_Fi



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-18
Updated: 2017-02-18
Packaged: 2018-09-25 07:52:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9810095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Sci_Fi/pseuds/Lady_Sci_Fi
Summary: Jake observes the doctor and tailor at lunch, suspecting something between them.





	

 Jake Sisko sat on the floor of the second level of the promenade, his legs dangling over the edge, ready for his hobby of people-watching. He had just eaten lunch, and had another forty minutes until he had to be back to Mrs. O’Brien’s school. He sighed and leaned forward to rest his arms and chin on the railing.

 His position today gave him clear view of the replimat. He absent-mindedly swung his legs, looking for someone interesting. In a few moments, someone did meet his curiosity. It would be difficult for the Cardassian tailor to not attract his attention, with him being the only Cardassian on the station. Jake made a mental note to ask his dad why that was.

 Jake watched as Garak made his way into the replimat, greeted Doctor Bashir, got a plate and mug of something, then sat across the table from Bashir. Jake couldn’t really hear their voices, over the distance and general hum of noise from the promenade, but he could clearly see the enthusiasm on Bashir’s face as the tailor sat with him.

 It didn’t take long for the two to get into an excited conversation, gesturing with eating utensils and hands and head movements… Jake wondered what they were talking about. Certainly not anything to do with medicine or clothes with this level of enthusiasm from both men.

 Jake took a short moment to glance around, and quickly resettled back on Bashir and Garak. They were the most lively and interesting subjects today.

 From his position, he could see both of their faces from the side, and could see each of their smiles and other expressions. Jake narrowed his eyes at a smile from Garak. Bashir wasn’t talking, taking a bite of his food, and Garak was just silently looking at him and smiling in a way that seemed odd to Jake. But there was something weirdly familiar about it.

 What was particularly odd was how Garak quickly raised his mug and covered his smile when Bashir looked back up to talk more. Did the Cardassian purposely hide his smile? If so, why hide that particular one?

 Then there was the way Bashir’s attention was completely on the Cardassian when Garak started speaking, presumably a reply to whatever the doctor had said. It was like the only thing that existed to Bashir at the moment was the other man.

 Bashir finished his meal first, and got up to get desert. Jake glanced at his watch and realized what time it was. He shot up to his feet, starting to run to get back to school on time. Still, he wondered what it was that Bashir and Garak could’ve been talking about.

 ********

 Jake caught Bashir and Garak having lunch a few more times, and concluded that they had a scheduled lunch together every week. There was nothing weird there, though it seemed that Garak was the only person Bashir regularly met with in his free time. Jake didn’t ever see Garak with anyone else at lunch, either.

 Jake had a reason for only really having one friend in Nog. There weren’t many children on the station in the first place, and of those who went to Mrs. O’Brien for school, he and the Ferengi were the oldest. He understood why Garak didn’t seem to have any friends, as sad as it was. But the doctor? The times Jake had been to the infirmary, Bashir was likeable and kind and enthusiastic about his work. Jake hoped that he had more friends than only the tailor.

 It didn’t escape his observations that all of their meetings had those same constant warm smiles that both would sometimes hide.

 ********

 During another lunchtime of watching the doctor and tailor, Jake suddenly realized what those expressions were. The day before, in school, he had caught a girl staring at him with a similar expression. She had quickly looked down to her padd, and Nog had leaned over to nudge him and whisper, “She likes you.”

 Was that what was going on here? The longer Jake watched them talk about… whatever it was they talked about, the more he was convinced. They didn’t hide their faces every time the other caught them making that kind of expression, but they did enough.

 Jake stood, determined to find out what they talked about that made them make those expressions at each other. He made his way down to the first level, got a free jumja stick from the stall (being the Emissary’s son had its perks, though he didn’t purposely take advantage of it too often), and went to lean against a column in the replimat, close enough to hear the two subjects of interest, licking at the sweet treat.

 “…partway through that book you gave me. Finally got around to starting it last night.”

 “Any thoughts so far, Doctor?”

 “I think I need to ask you more about the Cardassian culture before I can fully understand the story’s meaning.”

 Garak leaned back a little in his chair, a particularly pleased expression on his face. “What concepts are giving you trouble? We’ve already been through the importance of the state.”

 “Smaller things. Family life and structure… things like that.”

 “Ask away… though I may leave some concepts for you to figure out on your own.”

 Bashir chuckled, “Of course.”

 Jake furrowed his brow as he watched them more. Maybe it was just that he had eavesdropped on one conversation, but did talking about books and culture get them as excited with each other as they appeared? That wouldn’t be what he would talk about with a girl he liked. Then he shrugged and decided that it wasn’t really weird. People liked different things.

 He finished the jumja stick, disposed of it, and made his way back to school.

 ********

 A couple days later, Jake finally became curious enough to go to Garak’s shop. He hadn’t needed to before, since he had brought enough clothes when they moved here. But he wasn’t really here to look for new clothes.

 “Ah, hello, young mister Sisko,” the Cardassian greeted from the seat at the large table in the center of the shop. He stood and approached, arms spread in welcoming. “What a pleasure to see you here.”

 “Uh… hello,” Jake managed to get out. He hadn’t actually thought through what he wanted to say to the man.

 “Please, do look around. Though if there is anything you like, I would have to make it specifically for your size.”

 “Oh… that’s okay. I mean, dad says I’m at the age where I’ll be growing really fast.” Jake noticed the way Garak was looking over his jumpsuit.

 “I’m certain I can make adjustments for that.” Garak kept his gaze on the teen for a moment. “Blue would be a nice colour on you. Maybe a pale shade…”

 A nervous smile flickered over Jake’s face as he turned to a rack of tunics. He quickly glanced behind him after a few seconds, to see that Garak had returned to working at the table. Jake decided now was a good time to actually think about what he wanted to ask the Cardassian.

 “Is what you’re wearing indicative of Human fashion?”

 The sudden question made Jake flinch and turn to Garak. He glanced down at his green and blue jumpsuit. “Um… I guess so. At least… for people my age and younger.”

 “That’s quite comforting to know, that you’ll outgrow this style,” Garak responded with a smile.

 Jake wasn’t sure if he’d been insulted or not, but he wasn’t going to be dissuaded from his reason for being here. He blurted out, “Do you have any friends?”

 That made the Cardassian slightly tilt his head back and raise his brow ridges. “What an… interesting question.”

 “I mean… the only person I ever see you with in free time is Doctor Bashir. I was just wondering if… you have friends.”

 “Does your observation not answer your question?”

 Jake shrugged. “Other than him, then?”

 “Is there a particular reason that my social life is so interesting to you?”

 Jake realized he wasn’t going to get anywhere if the Cardassian kept up like this. “Dad says that it’s important for us to make friends, especially in a place like this.”

 “Such as yourself and the Ferengi boy… Nog, correct?”

 Jake smiled a little. He wasn’t the only one who kept an eye on the station population. “Yeah, like me and Nog. Anyway, I just thought… it would be hard for you, being the only Cardassian here among… everyone else.”

 “I assure you, that is not something you need to be worrying about,” Garak said with a pleasant smile. “I have… all I need.” He took a long breath through his nose. “Are you certain there isn’t anything I can do for you?”

 Jake thought for a moment. Nog had told him that some people didn’t really like talking about people they liked. With the way Garak seemed to be avoiding talking about Bashir, maybe it confirmed his suspicions. “Yeah, I… I should get going.”

 Garak bowed his head. “Good afternoon, then.”

 Jake nodded back, and walked out the door, confident that he had gotten an answer out of the conversation.

 ********

 Jake hurried from school at lunchtime, not going back to his quarters for his usual meal. First he wanted to try to catch Doctor Bashir. Just as he suspected, the doctor was sitting at his usual table at the replimat, a padd next to his plate. Garak wasn’t here yet, which was exactly what Jake had been hoping for.

 He assumed he wouldn’t have much time, so Jake took the seat across from Bashir, to the man’s surprise, and leaned in. “You’re Garak’s friend, right?”

 “Yes… I presume so.” Bashir lifted his mug of tea.

 Jake leaned in closer and whispered, “Do you like him?”

 Bashir choked on the tea, catching the way the teen had said one of those words.

 “I mean, it’s just that you look at each other like you really like each other. The way that Jasee looks at me in school sometimes, the way that Nog looks at Redah… don’t tell him I told you that.”

 Bashir’s eyes widened. “So you… you think we look at each other like that?”

 Jake was making much easier headway with Bashir than he had with Garak. “Yeah. Since I’ve been seeing you two eat lunch together.”

 “And just how often has that been?”

 Jake gave a sheepish smile. “Not very,” he lied. “I was just wondering if you liked him like that?”

 Bashir stared down at his food, picking at the cut meat with his fork. “He is fascinating to talk with.”

 “About books?”

 A chuckle escaped Bashir’s mouth. He teased, “Eavesdropping?”

 “No… just overheard you two a couple times.”

 “Culture and history, really. Books are part of that.”

 “So do you?”

 “Do I what?”

 “Like him.”

 “I think you have a lot to learn about this kind of thing.”

 Jake took that as encouragement. “So tell him, then.”

 “Jake, I didn’t say I like him… like that.” Bashir said in a whisper. After a few seconds, his eyes flicked up to something behind the teen.

 “Afternoon, Doctor, I wasn’t aware we would have another joining us?”

 Jake jumped and turned in the chair to see Garak standing behind him, a tray in his hands. He quickly got up. “No, I-I wasn’t staying. I just had to… ask Doctor Bashir something… medical related. Have a nice lunch.” He started to walk away from the table.

 “From the mouths of babes,” Bashir said quietly.

 “What was that, Doctor?”

 “Nothing. So did you get a chance…” Any more of the conversation was out of Jake’s earshot.

 Despite Jake’s nervousness, he smiled. He knew the answer.

 ********

 It wasn’t long after that conversation. Only a couple of days after Jake had been woken in the middle of the night by Bashir asking his dad if he could take Garak to Bajor in a runabout (something about an orphan), that Jake spotted the two having lunch.

 There was something different this time. They weren’t hiding their warm and affectionate smiles, and they would reach hands across the table to lay on the other’s arm for a second or two.

 “I knew it,” Jake whispered under his breath. Grinning, he got to his feet to find Nog.

 

 Bashir glanced up to the second level and saw Jake standing up. Garak’s eyes followed his gaze, and he chuckled, “Quite the little spy we have on the station.”

 “Hm… you’d know all about that, wouldn’t you?”

 Garak raised a finger. “Now, Doctor, one doesn’t have to be a spy to know when he sees one.”

 “Maybe not, but I’m sure that experience would help.” 

 “Perhaps…” Garak sighed. “He’s an intelligent young man, though something must be done about his wardrobe.”

 Bashir laughed around a mouthful of food.

 “Don’t think your non-uniform wardrobe is being excused either, my dear.”

 “I was hoping you wouldn’t say that.” Bashir couldn’t stop his smile from widening.


End file.
